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Show PROBE BOYCOTT BYBILBHEWERS Political and Business Activities Ac-tivities of National Organization Or-ganization Under Fire. Connection of Trade With German-American Alliance Alli-ance Indicated. WASHINGTON, Nov. 20. Evidence relating re-lating to political activities of brewers and their alleged efforts to boycott firms and individuals antagonistic to tho liquor business was adduced today before the senate committee Investigating brewers' propaganda and the purchase of the Washington Times by Arthur Brisbane. Major 15. Lowry Humes, who is conducting con-ducting the inquiry for the committee, also undertook to show, from documents produced by officers of the United States Brewers' association, a connection between be-tween that organization and the German-American German-American alliance. The charter of the alliance was revoked recently by congress con-gress after a senate committee had investigated in-vestigated Us activities. Major flumes put into the record lists of candidates for public office, which he said were to be supported by the brewers' association and the alliance, and also a statement which he asserted was prepared pre-pared for C. J. Hexamer of Philadelphia, former president of the alliance, at the office of tho Brewers' association. The statement, Major Humes declared, was German propaganda. Some Finu;i Named. . j Only two. wiftiesses Hugh F. Fox of New York, secretary of the Brewers' National Na-tional organization, and John Gardiner, ' Philadelphia, former chairman of tho organization or-ganization committee, were examined today. to-day. Fox was questioned at length regarding regard-ing the war waged by brewersj on antagonistic antag-onistic firms and individuals. Some of tho firms named were the John Wana-maker Wana-maker company, the Cadillac, Packard, National and Reo automobile companies, the II. J. Heinz company, tiie Goodrich Tire company, the American Rolling Mills, Middle town, Ohio, the Fox Typewriter company, IHe Maryland and Baltimore Casualty company, the Proctor and Gam-blo Gam-blo company, the Grassed! Chemical company com-pany of Cleveland, some subsidiary companies com-panies of the Standard Oil company, the United States Steel corporation, the R. Kresge company, the Red Raven Water company, the American Sheet and Tin Plate company and Republic Rubber company com-pany and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railroad. Denies Blacklisting. Fox denied that any of the firms named had been blacklisted, saying that the association's as-sociation's purpose merely was to give "preference to those who were friends." Later he told the committee that be. would be willing to assume that all the documents relating to the firms which Major Humes put into the record were taken front the files of the association. Major Humes told the committee that the firms were listed by tlie brewers' association because of their attitude against tlie use of liquor by their employees em-ployees or becauso of the activity of individual in-dividual members of tlie firms and in some instances of employees against the liquor business. The inquiry into political activity began be-gan when John Gardiner was called to the stand. Tlie witnesses said he might have seen lists of candidates at different times from 33.11 to 1!H which the brewers' association indorsed in some slates, Including In-cluding Iowa, Texas, Pennsylvania, n-d n-d iana and one candidate for congress from Illinois, but he could not recall the details. He admitted that the associa-t associa-t ion "a organ izat ion coin mittee was active. In "wet," and "dry" fights In several stales in (hose years and said that In tli a t time H spent between $400,000 and $r.00:0nu. "doing all it legitimately could to arouse public sentiment In our favor." Made No Contribution. Gardiner declared that the brewers made no contribution to -political campaign cam-paign commit Lees and at first denied that it bad endorsed any set of candidates. "Haven't you seen these lists of candidate? can-didate? lo lie supported by the brewers' association and German-American alliance that were sent out each year?" asked Major Ma-jor Humes. "Well, maybe I have seen them," the witness replied, "but r do not recall them." Records of the brewers' association read by Major Humes showed that in 1 !H 4 the Pennsylvania Slate association collected SLTU.IH for political ac(iity in that state, and that, in the following year SHUI.TM was collected for the same purpose. Gardiner Gardi-ner said he did not think the amounts worn as high as that and explained that different slate organizations raised various vari-ous amounts, each brewery being assessed on the amount of its output. In the "wet." and "dry," campaign In Nebraska, several years ago, lie said, the assessment was fifty cents for each barrel of beer brewed. The "fight was lost," the witness wit-ness added. Checks Destroyed. In reply to questions. Ihe witness said the Pennsylvania Slate association adopted the. policy of destroying check stubs and canceled checks each month a fter its bank accoti nts were balanced. No minutes of its meetings were kept. "Wasn't it because the activity -if Ihe, Pen ny va rtia St at;. a ssociat ion was en - ; (Continued', m Page Ten.) PR08E BOYCOTT BY BIG BREWERS-: (Continued from Page One.) tirely political that you thought it best to adopt this policy?" asked fclajor Humes. The witness denied this, saying- that labor disputes which he desired to keep from the public led to the adoption of the policy. U was while Secretary Fox was on the stand that Major Humes read the statement state-ment said to have been prepared or the former president of the German-American, alliance. Copies of the statement, which was a declaration of the alliance's position posi-tion on the European war before the United Stales bee;une a belligerent, wero sent to C. W. Feigenspan, of Newark, N. J., who aided In financing the purchase of the Washington Times and the Montgomery Mont-gomery Advertiser and who then was chairman of the publications commit tue of the brewers' association. Designate Shortage. TTexamcr's statement condemned as sabotage the destruction of Amerfcan factories fac-tories engaged in producing war materials mate-rials for the allies and also condemned the sinking of ships carrying munitions. Those responsible for such should be punished. Hexamer said, but he added that he did not bnlieve they were committed com-mitted at the instigation of Germany or Austria. "This indicates that some literarilv inclined in-clined person in the office of the United States Brewers' association was writing German propaganda, doesn't it?" asked Major Humes. '"I don't recall anything about it," Mr. Fox replied. "Mr. Fctgnspan was then chairmen of the publications committee at the time this article was written and sent to him, was he not?" "Yes," Fox replied, and he added; "That bears an indication that some one prepared it in the offices of our asso- elation." iP "German propaganda," ho continued, "was by common consent discussed very little with us. I do not know whether that was because 1 am an Knglishman." |
